Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 vs OnePlus 2: 5 similarities and 5 differences!

There is big news from the OnePlus team. Their current flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 2 has received a permanent price cut in India - now swarting at a price of Rs. 20,999 for the 16GB variant and Rs. 22,999 for the 64GB one.

With specifications like 4GB RAM, Snapdragon 810 and a 13MP camera, the OnePlus 2's new pricing puts it in a sort of mid-range smartphone pricing category, which was recently stormed with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 launch. Here are the top 5 similarities and 5 differences between the OnePlus 2 and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3.

SIMILARITIES

Screen Dimensions

Both these smartphones are phablet-sized devices and have a similar 5.5-inch IPS LCD display on the front. The resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels or Full HD) is same on both of the smartphones. With minimal bezels, the OnePlus 2 is slightly sleeker than the Redmi Note 3, but the difference isn't quite evident. The OnePlus 2 also has a slightly better Screen to Body ratio of 73.3% compared to 72.4% on the K4 Note.

Fingerprint sensor

Fingerprint sensors on a smartphone are very common these days and both Lenovo and Xiaomi have the fingerprint sensing security features on their offerings. Located just below the rear camera sensor, the fingerprint sensor is located on the back panel - underneath the camera module - for the Redmi Note 3, while the OnePlus 2 has a fingerprint scanner on the front itself.

Android-Based devices

Both the OnePlus 2 and Redmi Note 3 run on Android OS. While both of them are running their custom UIs, the software is based on Android v5.1 Lollipop. The OnePlus 2 is running OnePlus' latest OxygenOS, the Redmi Note 3 has Xiaomi's MIUI powering the software inside.

Similar camera sensors

Both these smartphones have a similar camera on the rear of the device, and almost similar ones for snapping selfies. The rear camera has a 13MP sensor with features like Phase Detection Auto Focus, dual-tone dual-LED flash and an aperture of f/2.2 on the Redmi Note 3 and Laser Autofocus on the OnePlus 2. The front camera is a 5MP shooter on both the devices that can shoot Full HD videos in 1080p.

Dual-SIM card support

Both the smartphones have dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) card slots that support two SIM cards each (Micro-SIM on Redmi Note 3 and Nano-SIM on OnePlus 2). This allows the user to operate two different cellular numbers, without the hassle of keeping two smartphones. Both the Redmi Note 3 and the OnePlus 2 support 4G LTE bands in India, that is, Band 3 and Band 40.

DIFFERENCES

Processor

The OnePlus outshines the Redmi Note 3 when it comes to the overall processor specifications. With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 on the OnePlus 2, the Redmi Note 3 is powered by the slightly lower-specced Snapdragon 650. Having already launched in China last year, the Redmi Note 3 has been showing great performance in terms of multitasking and processing capabilities. It sometimes even beats the Snapdragon 810 in terms of multitasking.

Battery capacities

Another major difference between the OnePlus and the Redmi Note 3 is the variation in battery capacities. While both have similar form factor and dimensions, the Redmi Note 3 comes with a 4,000 mAh battery and the OnePlus has a comparatively mediocre 3,300 mAh unit, under the hood. Both these smartphones have non-removable batteries.

User Interface

While both the Redmi Note 3 and the OnePlus 2 run on Android 5.1 Lollipop, the skin or user interface is completely different on both of them. The Redmi Note 3 runs on Xiaomi's very own MIUI that is loosely based on iOS, with no app launchers and a design that is quite different from stock Android. The OnePlus, on the other hand, runs OxygenOS as its software. OxygenOS has a near-stock Android feel with wide customization added in.

Color variants

The OnePlus comes in just one color variant - Sandstone Black - but the addition of removable back panels makes customization all the more fun. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has a metal unibody so the company decided to go with color options like Silver, Gray and Gold to compliment the finish of the material used. The Note 3, therefore, has the benefit from the consumer, with multiple models to choose from, according to personal preference.

Memory difference

The OnePlus 2 was a flagship smartphone of 2015 and has 4 gigabytes of RAM powering the 64GB variant and 3GB in the 16GB model. On the other hand, the Redmi Note 3 is a budget smartphone of 2016 but it has a comparatively decent 3 gigabytes in the 32GB variant and 2GB in the 16GB variant.